The present invention relates to an improved sight assembly for an archery bow which is intended to provide a more accurate sighting system for an archer.
The sight system provided by the present invention is particularly intended for use as a bow-riser mounted adjustable peep sight system for an archery bow. It is specifically designed to replace the bow string mounted type peep sight. The present prior art for sights for archery bows generally provides what is referred to as a string-mounted peep sight. The string-mounted peep sight usually takes on various shapes and designs, however, the general type is a disk designed with a peep hole in the center, which is then attached to the bow string by attachment means which attaches between the many strands that make up the bow string and secured in place to line up with the user's eye at full draw. Another variation of a string-mounted sight consists of a rubber disk which is mounted in position so as to rest in the corner of the mouth of the user when at full draw. However, such bow string sights provide many disadvantages when in actual use. For example, a string peep sight is generally unpredictable in that it is usually never in the proper viewing position when at full draw. This is especially so since the bow string-mounted peep sight, due to its method of attachment, often turns in different directions when the user pulls the bow to a full bow draw. Further, such bow string peep sights may easily become clogged with various debris and therefore hampers the user's ability to use the sight when necessary and required. An even more prevalent draw back to such sights is the fact that a string peep is difficult to view through during low light conditions. Hence, conditions such as at dusk, does not give the user sufficient capability to manipulate the bow to pull it to full draw, and then view through the peep sight to target in order to make an accurate shot. It is well-known that it is typical to use archery bows at just such times, that is during low light conditions, for the ideal hunting conditions. As such, such peep sights present serious draw backs to the accurate sighting of a bow.
Efforts to overcome such difficulties have been manifested in the prior art. For example, a bow sight assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,780 which is directed to a bow sight assembly which includes a range finder and is mounted on the bow. The sight pin is mounted on a sight arm which in turn is designed to rotate about a pivot in direct proportion to the movement of a vertical member which is connected to range finder. The archer sights the target by manipulating the vertical member while sighting the sight pin onto the target. The range finder at the top of the device will then indicate a range to target. This device, however, represents a sight which provides only a single sight pin and therefore requires that the archer sight the pin directly to the target while manipulating the vertical arm until a supposed accurate sight is made. Hence, a one-position sight is provided, but the one position consists of the one forward sight pin which is moveable by the archer, and sights directly to the the target. It has been found that such sight assemblies are less than accurate and capable of error.
Another archery bow sight assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,837 which is directed to a sight assembly which is designed for mounting onto the bow. This device includes a range finder and a peep sight all mounted to a forwardly extending sight assembly, with the peep sight being moveable by means of an arm carrying a lower finger control at the bottom. The device is constructed as a parallelogram such that the movement of the peep sight will move the range finder which is located on the top portion of the unit until a range is determined to target. It is clear from the description that the entire sight assembly is moved forwardly of the bow since it is mounted on a bracket, which is in turn mounted to the bow. This is intended to provide an adjustability feature. It will be noted, however, that the entire sight assembly includes numerous moving parts, and still provides only a single peep through which the archer will view the target in order to sight the range. It will further be noted that the use of the device requires that once the archer sights the target, that a locking bolt with a handle is then utilized to lock the parallelogram sub-assembly into a fixed orientation in order to "lock on the target." It has been found that manipulating such a sight assembly is difficult for the archer, and requires several hand manipulations in order to sight the target. Further, it is difficult to lock the unit into position once the archer is at full draw. In summary, the sight assembly as described therein provides a sight assembly which has a moveable forward peep sight as the sole sight means for sighting a target.
Still another adjustable bow sight is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,052, which is intended for mounting to a bow and intended to provide a moveable peep sight for sighting the target. The device described therein provides a bracket mountable to a bow handle, and includes a forwardly moveable peep sight as disclosed in the drawing. It is apparent from the description of this device that the archer would move a rear lever throughout a curvilinear track, which then translates motion to the forward moveable peep sight along a vertical track such that the rotary movement of the rear lever translates to vertical movement of the peep sight. Once again, this sight provides a single peep sight for sighting a target and requires the archer to use a single sight window or peep sight for sighting the target. Further, the moveable portion of the sight is located on the forward end of the sight assembly, and is therefore further removed from the eye of the archer.
Numerous other attempts have been made in the prior art to improve the sight assemblies for an archery bow previously described with regard to bow string sights, and other fixed sight assemblies, intended for mounting to an archery bow. It is clear from the above-noted three prior art patents that each was intended to be an improvement over a number of other prior art patents cited therein.
The present archery bow sight assembly is intended as an improvement over the structures disclosed hereinabove.